Bottom step unit for boat ladders

ABSTRACT

A step unit adapted to be pivotally mounted at the lower end of a boat ladder, such that the step will automatically swing to a position out of the water during normal boat travel, and can be readily lowered to a position beneath the water level as an aid to boarding of the boat. The step unit comprises a frame having a step on one end thereof, and projecting arms, at least one of which cams a counterweight on the opposite end. Means are provided for pivotally connecting the arms to side rails of the ladder.

United States Patent 1191 Sandberg Apr. 16, 1974 BOTTOM STEP UNIT FOR BOAT LADDERS 3,078,955 2/1963 Rich 182/206 3,627,350 12/1971 Cross 1112/91 Inventor: Robert G. Sandberg, 3933 Oak Dr.,

Bountiful, Utah 84010 Primary ExaminerReina1do P. Machado [5 7 ABSTRACT A step unit adapted to be pivotally mounted at the lower end of a boat ladder, such that the step will automatically swing to a position out of the water during normal boat travel, and can be readily lowered to a position beneath the water level as an aid to boarding of the boat. The step unit comprises a frame having a step on one end thereof, and projecting arms, at least one of which earns a counterweight on the opposite end. Means are provided for pivotally connecting the arms to side rails of the ladder.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 16 014 FIG FIG 2 1 BOTTOM STEP UNIT FOR BOAT LADDERS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to ladders of the type used on pleasure boats by water skiers, swimmers and others boarding the boat from out of the water.

2. Prior Art It has long been common to use ladders extending up the side or stem of a small watercraft as a means whereby a person in the water can more easily board the craft. For this purpose, there have been many different types of ladders developed. At the present time, most such pleasure craft utilize a removable ladder adapted to hook over a side wall of the craft and to extend down into the water, or a permanently affixed ladder, which is most often fixed to the stern of the craft. The removable ladder, while frequently extending below the water level, is unsatisfactory in that it may be easily dropped overboard or if left in place during boat travel, may be thrown from the boat. The permanently fixed ladders, while not being subject to loss overboard or to being thrown from the boat-by the action of water through which the boat is traveling, are generally not entirely satisfactory, since the lowermost step is at or above the waterline of the boat, and a boarder is forced to swing his body high in order to reach the lowermost step.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a step unit that can be used in conjunction with standard, permanently mounted, stern ladders of pleasure, watercraft, and the like, and that will position a step well below the water level of the boat where it can be easily used during boarding.

It is another object to provide such a step unit tha will automatically'swing to an out-of-the-way and outof-the-water position where it will not adversely affect travel of the watercraft. I

Principal features of the invention include a generally U-shaped frame having arms adapted to be pivotally connected to the lower end of theladder between the lowermost step'of the ladder and the stern of the watercraft, and a step formed in the web interconnecting the arms. At least one of the arms is extended beyond the pivot connection and has a counterweight mounted thereon.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description .and drawing disclosing what is presently contemplated as being the best mode of the invention.

THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective of the stern of a pleasure-type watercraft having a boarding ladder affixed thereto and with a step unit of the invention pivotally mounted to the lower end of the boarding ladder; and

FIG. 2, a fragmentary, enlarged perspective view of the lower end of the boarding ladder of FIG. 1, but showing the step unit of the invention in its boat travel position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I Referring now to the drawing:

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the step unit of the invention, shown generally at 10, in FIG. 1, is mounted to the lower end of the boarding ladder 11 that is permanently fixed to the stern of a pleasure-type watercraft, i.e. the boat shown fragmentarily at 12.

The step unit is of generally U-shape configura tion, and has arms 13 and 14 interconnected by a web 15. A step 16 formed from a piece of channel member having ends notched to fit the Web member is fixed in place with its flat surface inside the web, by bolts 17 and nuts 18 threaded thereon. While this arrangement provides a strong step for the step unit, and effectively reinforces the web 15 of the step unit, it would be apparent that other step constructions could be used. A pivot shaft 19 extends between and through the arms 13 and 14, intermediate the lengths of the arms. The ends of the pivot shaft extend beyond the arms 13 and 14 a sufficient distance to allow them to be inserted throughrails 20 and 21 of the ladder 11. The ends of pivot rod 19 are inserted through the ladder rails 20 and 21 at a location beneath the lowermost step of the ladder l1 and slightly forward of the lowermoststep, in the direction of the boat 12 and self-locking nuts 22 are threaded onto the ends of the pivot rod to hold it in place. As is conventional, the upper end of the ladder rails 20 and 21 are curved to engage the transom of boat 12 and to project above the transom. The lower ends of the rails 20 and 21 are curved to engage the lower stern of the boat and the steps of the ladder are thus maintained a spaced distance awayfrom the stern.

The arms 13 and 14 of step unit 10 extend away from web 15 and beyond'the pivot shaft 19. .As seen best-in FIG. 1, when the step unit is pivotedto place the step 16 in its lowermost position, the arms 13 and 14 extend rectly above pivot rod 19, the counterweight will act to' move the step unit to the position shown in FIG. 2, wherein the arms 13 and 14 engage the lowermost portion of the lo'wer step most remote from the boat stern. Preferably, however, when the step is in its lowermost position, the counterweight is so near the vertical position t'hereabove that the counterweight does not have a sufficient moment arm to rotate the step as it is submerged in water. However, as soon as the boat starts to travel in a forward direction the water will act against the step to start it rotating to the raised position. The counterweight will continue such rotation until the arms 13 and 14 engage the portion of the lowermost shown in FIG. 1. In this position, the user can easily.

step onto step 16 and, while holding the ladder rails, can easily board the boat. When the step unit is released the weight is taken from step 16, and the boat begins to move forward, however, the step will auto-- matically move to the position shown in FIG. 2.

Although a preferred form of my invention has been herein disclosed, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example, and that variations are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter I regard as my invention.

I claim:

1. A step unit for stern mounted boat ladders, comprising a generally U-shaped frame having spaced arms interconnected by a web;

step means extending across said web, between said arms;

pivot means intermediate the length of said arms and adapted to be connected to the lower ends of boat ladder rails, whereby said frame is pivotable with respect to said rails; and

counterweight means fixed to at least one of said arms at the side of the pivot means opposite to the said web.

2. The step unit of claim 1, wherein the pivot means comprises nut means adapted to be threaded onto the ends of said pivot shaft to hold said pivot shaft in position extending through said side rails.

3. The step unit of claim 2, wherein the step means 5 comprises a pivot shaft extending between and through the said step unit arms and beyond said arms whereby said pivot shaft can be inserted through the side rails; and

a channel member having ends thereof cut away to fit over the arms and means bolting the channel member to the web, whereby a fiat surface of the channel member is positioned between the arms.

4. A ladder for boats, and the like comprising a plurality of steps including one lowermost step;

a pair of side rails interconnecting said steps and holding them in a spaced position relative to one another and relative to the stern of a boat;

a pivotal step unit having arms pivotally connected to the side rails at a location beneath the lowermost step and forward of the said lowermost step in the direction of the boat, said arms extending from the pivot connection and adapted to engage the lowermost step;

a web interconnecting the said arms and having step means thereon extending between the said arms; and

a counterweight on at least one of said arms at the end thereof opposite to said web. 

1. A step unit for stern mounted boat ladders, comprising a generally U-shaped frame having spaced arms interconnected by a wEb; step means extending across said web, between said arms; pivot means intermediate the length of said arms and adapted to be connected to the lower ends of boat ladder rails, whereby said frame is pivotable with respect to said rails; and counterweight means fixed to at least one of said arms at the side of the pivot means opposite to the said web.
 2. The step unit of claim 1, wherein the pivot means comprises a pivot shaft extending between and through the said step unit arms and beyond said arms whereby said pivot shaft can be inserted through the side rails; and nut means adapted to be threaded onto the ends of said pivot shaft to hold said pivot shaft in position extending through said side rails.
 3. The step unit of claim 2, wherein the step means comprises a channel member having ends thereof cut away to fit over the arms and means bolting the channel member to the web, whereby a flat surface of the channel member is positioned between the arms.
 4. A ladder for boats and the like comprising a plurality of steps including one lowermost step; a pair of side rails interconnecting said steps and holding them in a spaced position relative to one another and relative to the stern of a boat; a pivotal step unit having arms pivotally connected to the side rails at a location beneath the lowermost step and forward of the said lowermost step in the direction of the boat, said arms extending from the pivot connection and adapted to engage the lowermost step; a web interconnecting the said arms and having step means thereon extending between the said arms; and a counterweight on at least one of said arms at the end thereof opposite to said web. 